Picking up Baby Equipment

We went to Babies "R" Us today to pick up Maya's crib! As soon as we get the carpet installed in our house, we'll be setting that up and starting to get her room put together! We also made an appointment to pick up her dressers. Yah! So, after the middle of March, her room is going to start taking shape! I can't wait to get started! The only piece of furniture we need now is a glider and ottoman. We can look for that after we arrange everything else. It's all so exciting!

We also picked up her car seat and stroller, which were gifts from our baby shower in Streator. We're so excited to have those things... now we can officially bring Maya home from the hospital! She has a car seat!!

Feeling Maya on the Move!

A whole host of new people got to feel Maya move for the first time during my trip to Iowa. My mom was the most eager to feel her moving around, and it took several tries for that to happen. Every time I would tell my mom she was moving, she would put her hand on my belly, and Maya would stop. EVERY TIME! After several attempts, she finally did get to feel her wiggle around, and I thought she was going to cry. This experience has been very special to her, and I love that she wants to be a part of it. It's so nice to be able to call her up and tell her what's going on with me and Maya. She keeps track of my doctor's appointments, and I'm always eager to tell her all the details of the visits. So, I was VERY happy that she got to feel the little body kicking around inside my belly this week!

Dee also got to feel her move one morning after I woke up. Maya was quite restless, and Dee was getting my brothers, Colton and Chance (a.k.a. Coopy), ready for school. I stayed in Coopy's room while I was there, so when Maya started moving that morning, Dee got to feel her bouncing around. She thought is was pretty cool, I think. Colton and Coopy both got to feel her move on different occasions. I'm not sure what they thought. They both looked a little shocked and happy at the same time. Colton didn't keep his hand on my belly for very long, but then a couple of days later, came up to me, put his hand on my belly, and asked if she was moving. At that time, she wasn't. Bummer. Coopy, on the other hand, felt her move, started to pull his hand away, then put it back on there for a little while longer. I think he was fascinated by it. It was so nice to be able to share those movements with some of my family.

Those movements, by the way, are getting stronger and stronger! One evening, while I was visiting my dad, Chris, and my brother, Alex, in Springfield, IL, we were all sitting in the living room talking and laughing. At one point, we were all laughing very hard, and all of a sudden - WHAM - she kicked me hard, right at the bottom of my right ribs! It was so hard and startling, that my leg flew up in the air, like someone was checking my knee reflexes. It was hilarious! After that, I couldn't stop laughing.... it was too funny! She's getting so much bigger now that when she gets really active, my belly moves and distorts in a way that reminds me of a cat trapped in a pillowcase, trying to make an escape! It's just getting so different. I love to watch her move and imagine her tiny feet in there just kicking about. It's very thrilling.

When I returned home to Michigan, Will couldn't believe how much my belly had grown. Seriously, in two weeks, it grew a ton. He can't stop saying, "Your belly is HUGE!". I keep telling him that it's going to get much bigger! The first time he saw my belly move after I returned, he jumped back and exclaimed, "Oh my God!". He was clearly very shocked and surprised about the magnitude of waves rolling across my belly. The look on his face was priceless. I think he's simply in awe of all the changes taking place with and within my body. I wouldn't want to go through this wonderful experience with anyone else. Will's going to make a terrific Daddy.

Our 1st Baby Shower!

We had our first baby shower! My mom, aunt Diane, and cousin Krista planned it in Streator, IL with my mom's side of the family. It was a ton of fun! I got to see my cousins (Krista and Scott and their boys, Tara, Beth Anne, Jayne and Brian and their kids, and DeeDee), aunt Diane, uncle Larry, and grandma Babe that I haven't seen in a really long time. We had a delicious cake that aunt Diane's friend made. It was white cake with white frosting (my favorite). The room was decorated with pink and green table clothes, pink balloons, one balloon that read, "It's a Girl!" and another that read, "Welcome Baby", and one of the balloons was tied to her very first pink piggy bank!

We played some really fun games. One was a nursery rhyme game that Jayne won. I think she got 13 out of 15 nursery rhymes right! I got four right... I guess I should have studied. Then we played a game where we passed a gift bag around the circle, following the directions "right" and "left" from a fictional story about a couple trying to get to the hospital to have a baby. It was a lot of fun, and Beth Anne won that game. While I opened presents, we played one last game where everyone got a clothes pin. If someone heard somebody say the word "baby", they could take their clothes pin. The winner was the person with the most clothes pins at the end of the game. It didn't take long for everyone to figure out that my cousin Krista was out for blood. She almost knocked our poor grandma off her chair before she even had the whole word "baby" out of her mouth! She's a little scrapper! In the end, it was between Krista and Dee (my step mom). Eventually, Dee slipped up and Krista mauled her for her clothes pins, declaring herself the winner! It was a riot!

Opening presents was a ton of fun, too. I loved getting gifts for our baby. We got some stuff that will come in very handy such as a stroller, car seat, and monitors, and we got some stuff that was just downright cute, like a baby Elmo bathrobe! I mean, really, a baby in a bathrobe! I can't wait to use it! She's going to be so cute in that with the matching baby Elmo slippers! One sentimental gift we received is a quilt that Dee embroidered a prayer, angels, and flowers onto. I didn't even know that she did embroidery, so I was shocked when I saw it. It is very beautiful. Overall, the shower was a ton of fun. It's so much fun to have a party to celebrate a baby that isn't even here yet! It's great to see everyone so excited to meet Maya. She has such a loving family waiting for her, and she doesn't even know it.

A Wrestling Upset

My brother, Coley, had his district wrestling tournament today. This was an important meet for him because those who finish in the top two in each weight class advance to the state tournament in Des Moines next week. Unfortunately, Coley lost his first match, which was the one he really needed to win. Eventhough he knew his odds of going to state were slim after the first loss, he found the strength, both mentally and physically, to win his second match. However, the kid that he needed to win the championship, so he could have a chance to wrestle back to second place, didn't win. Coley was officially done. It was a bitter-sweet day for me because I finally got to see him wrestle for the first time this year, but his dream to finish his career at the state tournament was not realized. It was a hard pill for him to swallow, and it killed me to watch him go through it. I just hurt for him, and there wasn't anything anyone could say or do to make the moment better or easier for him. It was a difficult day for everyone, and there were a lot of tears shed for Coley. His wrestling career started when he was just itty-bitty, and he's come a long way since then. No matter how this day or his entire wrestling career ended, I am very proud of my brother. I personally think he is a terrific wrestler.

Visiting Family in Iowa

Will and I came to Iowa to visit family while he had a small stretch of days off. Everyone here is very happy to see us, and everyone seems very excited about my growing belly. We got to celebrate our last Valentine's Day as just a couple yesterday. We went out to eat at Diamond Dave's, a mexican food restaurant in Muscatine. After dinner, we got ice cream at Culver's, and it was delicious! I had a concrete made with hot fudge and bananas. It was like a hot fudge sundae with bananas in every bite! Yummy! Our evening was very special because Diamond Dave's is the same place we went to on our very first date, almost eight years ago! Back then, I don't think either one of us thought that in eight years we would be back at the same place, married, and with our first child on the way. It's incredible that we've been together for eight years. I'm so thankful for that first date!!

Sadly, Will had to go back to Michigan today. He has to work tomorrow, so I won't be able to see him for about a week and a half. I think that's the longest we've ever been apart! I'm glad I'll have the opportunity to spend time with my family, but I'm going to miss him terribly! I wish he could have stayed here with me.

Dinner with Friends

Tonight I met up with three of my good friends, Miriam, Diane, and Jill, for dinner at a Chinese/Japanese restaurant. It was very good food, and the company was fantastic! It's so great to get together with girlfriends to catch up and chat. We sat and visited for hours. Jill is another one of my pregnant girlfriends, due just two months after me. She is looking very cute right now. In fact, I would venture to say that she looks more pregnant than me! She has a very cute round belly on her very thin frame. She looks like someone who would model in a pregnancy magazine! It's so fun to see my pregnant friends growing and glowing right along side of me. It's a very exciting time in all of our lives! It has been so great to have girlfriends to go through this experience with. I wouldn't change it for anything!

Husband Sprinkled with Crazy Dream Dust...

Now, apparently, the dreams are spreading across our mattress! I didn't know that the pregnant husbands were just as susceptible to crazy dreams as their pregnant counterparts. Will had a dream last night that I had Maya, but instead of coming out a newborn, she was a toddler! Not only was she a toddler, but she was also Asian! Now, since neither one of us has any Asian descent, I'm not sure about this one! I also asked him how well I enjoyed giving birth to a toddler, and he said he wasn't sure. I think that's just as well. I'm not sure I really wanted to know the answer to that question! I'll keep you updated with Will's dreams, too, as long as he permits.

Today, I had a really great time with Melissa, one of my many pregnant girlfriends. We went out for lunch, got pedicures, went for dessert (a delicious hot fudge sundae with birthday cake flavored ice cream and whipped cream), then we checked out this baby/toddler consignment shop, where I bought a few cute items for dirt cheap prices. The pedicure was heavenly, and it's nice to have pretty piggies again! That particular salon also has a special cushion for prenatal massages that allows a woman to lay on her pregnant belly, without smushing the baby! It looked really nice. Maybe for Valentine's Day or my birthday.... Will, are you reading this? Haha... I love you!

It was JUST a Dream... Part 2

Here we go again... this one was weird, but not quite as twisted as the last! I have been wondering what my pregnant belly will look like when I am 8 or 9 months along. What pregnant lady doesn't? In wondering, I have thought about the linea nigra, stretch marks, and my belly button. This dream is an obvious reflection of those thoughts!

So, in my dream, I woke up one morning and looked at my belly. Overnight, the linea nigra (line that sometimes appears and runs the length of a pregnant belly) had appeared. Here's what was weird about it, though. It was white, fuzzy, and raised on my skin. It looked like MOLD!! It ran the entire length of my belly, and it was GROSS!! Around my belly button was all fuzzy, and I could actually pick pieces of it off. Ewwww....

Okay, I wouldn't mind getting a linea nigra, but if mine looks like that, I'll pass!

It was JUST a Dream...

So, I've always heard of the crazy dreams that pregnant women have, but until now, they have been pretty tame. I could always associate them with something. For example, I once had a dream that the same day we brought our baby home, he (we didn't yet know her gender) started rolling over and sitting up. The whole time, I just kept saying to Will, "I can't believe he's doing that. He shouldn't be able to do this stuff yet!" That dream can easily be explained by my fear that our baby will grow up too quickly. Not ABnormal, right? That dream does not hold a candle to my last dream!

Okay, for those of you who may think I'm a COMPLETE psycho after reading this, keep in mind, THIS IS JUST A DREAM, AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER MY THOUGHTS WHILE I SLEEP!! Some of you may even question why I would divulge this information, and my answer to you is simple. This is MY pregnancy, MY experience. This is just a small part of the craziness that has taken over my mind for a temporary period of time (I hope). Consider yourself warned, read with caution, and remember: I HAVE NO CONTROL!

So, the dream started out relatively normal. I had recently delivered Maya, and I was nursing her. She was a really good eater, and we had apparently both caught on to nursing without much difficulty. When she finished nursing, she would lay down for a nap. **OKAY, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS REALLY WEIRD** Then all of a sudden, I would be nursing again, but when I looked down to see Maya, instead, I saw Will! In the dream, it wasn't abnormal at all! He nursed on one side, then I politely informed him that I was saving the other side just in case Maya woke up and was hungry again. Then, it was over! I can fully understand the Maya nursing part, because like every mom-to-be, I hope that we can conquer nursing like a couple of champs. Where Will fits into the picture in ANY way besides encouraging Maya and me to do our best, I have NO idea.

I know, it was weird, and don't try to say I didn't warn you! Stay tuned, though, I'm sure there are more where that came from!

Belly gets Stamp of Approval!

We had another doctor's appointment today, and everything checked out as normal! My fundal height is right on target and so is my weight gain! Yah! Maya's heart sounded good, and she was very active during the exam. Right when the doctor placed the heart doppler on my belly, she kicked it! It was hilarious! At my next appointment, I get to have the blood sugar test, so they sent the sugary solution home with me to drink right before coming in next time. Mmmmm, can't wait... I bet it's real yummy!

I guess my little baby bump is the right size after all. Will just keeps saying, "I told you so." Ugh, I hate it when he's right! He thinks I'm crazy for thinking it's small because in his eyes, "it's huge!" I guess it does look a little bigger today... hmmm... I think it just depends on what I wear. Anyway, Maya is doing great, and that's all that REALLY matters!

The "Weight" Game

I'm apologizing in advance to all of the pregnant women and moms out there who may read this post and feeling like throwing the closest loose object at their computer monitors.... keep in mind, this is just MY experience! Would you think I was crazy if I worried that my belly isn't what I consider "big enough" yet? Or that I got on the scale today and was a little disappointed when it said that I had actually lost 2 pounds? I'm 24 weeks now, I've gained 10 pounds, and I don't think any stranger in their right mind would ask me about my due date! To people who don't know me, I'm sure that I probably just appear, ummmm, plump. I'm ready to LOOK pregnant! One of my very good friends (you know who you are), is also expecting but is quite a few weeks behind me in her pregnancy, and she has had at least 3 people ask her if she is pregnant! What gives?! I feel like I need to invest in one of those shirts that say "knocked up", "baby fat", "coming this spring", or "what's kickin'". This may sound vain or selfish, but if I'm going to ACT the pregnancy part, shouldn't I be rewarded with the LOOKING pregnant part?! I keep reading in my books about how many women's belly-buttons have "popped" by this point. Admittedly, mine is a little more shallow and wide than it has ever been before, but it is no where near popping! I also look on this certain website that has a "belly gallery" where women send in pictures of their bellies, and they are categorized on a week-by-week basis. All of their bellies are HUGE! Will says they are probably just lying, but I think he only says that to make me feel better. He also says that my belly is getting bigger than I think, but I have my doubts. He's such a good guy, he'd tell me I'm "getting a belly on me" just to make me feel better! How many husbands would brave those waters? He can read me like a book and always knows the right thing to say!

As for weight gain.... that's such a difficult issue. The doctor "prescribed" a certain amount of pounds that I'm terrified to go over, but I'm afraid I haven't gained enough weight (otherwise, I'd have a belly!). My doctor actually threatened me with a nutrition consult if I started coming in having gained 6-8 pounds consistently between each visit. Will thinks that's hilarious. So, I'm supposed to gain a pound per week now (roughly 4 pounds between each visit) but not go over 6 pounds between visits. Wow, could this GET less stressful?! Hahaha..... I'm really not upset about not gaining much weight. What pregnant woman wouldn't want that problem?! I just find the whole thing a little crazy. It just ends up being something else to worry about that seems a little unnecessary, if you ask me. Inevitably I'm going to gain weight, and there's nothing I can do to stop that. Again, accept the things you cannot change... (courtesy of Will). I have basically been eating what I want, when I want it, and I'm doing just fine. It helps that I haven't had ANY of those crazy cravings I hear about. One of my other pregnant coworkers (yes, there are several) says she has had McDonald's EVERY day! I'm so thankful that my diet hasn't really changed since before I got pregnant. In the 1st trimester, I had an aversion to salad (of all things!), but that's over now. I try to eat a little healthier than before I got pregnant, but mostly I just eat whatever sounds good. So far, it works for me and Maya!

What I am thankful for right now, 24 weeks, 10 pounds, and a very small belly into my pregnancy is that I'm healthy. Our baby is thriving, and really, what more could I ask for? I guess, for right now, our very active baby is our little secret that stays hidden underneath my clothing. I'm really looking forward to the time when people look lovingly at my belly and know there is something far beyond myself that's going on right in my very body. Sooner or later, I will wear my pregnancy in the form of a Buddha-belly, like a badge of honor, and EVERYONE will know, without question, that I am hard at work creating a miracle.

It's a Whirlwind

This PIR is so strange. I can't describe what it's like to not have a job. I've always had a job since I was 14 years old. Being on short term disability is not something I thought would happen until late May or early June. It all came so fast and unexpected. Initially, I was very upset and angry that I was basically losing my job so early in my pregnancy. I felt like I was very capable of doing my job. I don't FEEL disabled. I feel healthy! I didn't realize that pregnancy was considered a disabling condition! I felt like I should still be at work, doing my normal job. For a while, I felt like I had let my husband down because he suddenly had to become more financially responsible. All of the money we had been counting on me to make for the next 4-5 months was no longer going to be there. Will picked up some additional moonlighting shifts to make up the difference. He has never once made me feel guilty about him having to work more. In fact, he has said several times that he is GLAD that I'm home now. He has encouraged me to look at the bright side of being off work, and that is being able to do all the projects I always talk about but never have time for. He tells me to enjoy this time off. He's kind of like the "Serenity Prayer" in that he encourages me to accept the things I cannot change. If being off work to keep our baby safe and healthy is what the doctor has ordered, then by all means, just do it. It took me a while to see this situation in that way. Now, I am able to accept that this temporary time off is just what I needed. I can complete all of the projects on my "to do" list. I can start taking over the role as house wife, stay at home mom, home manager, or whatever the PC term is these days. In just these last couple of days, I felt like a better person. I'm more cheerful and optimistic. I am able to relax more. I don't feel rushed to do things. I have made several plans with friends. I cooked a really great dinner tonight, and we sat at the dinner table to eat. Our family is coming together. This is what being a family feels like. I am better able to fulfill the needs of our home when I don't have a work schedule looming over my head. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I will be able to concentrate on nurturing relationships with my friends, extended family, and most importantly, with Will. I am so blessed to have met and married such a wonderful man. He is the half that makes me whole. He has helped me find peace in this situation with work, and I'm so grateful for that.

On a lighter note, I'm finding that this PIR can be quite confusing! Not having to remember a schedule makes it a little difficult to keep track of the day of the week. Dates and days don't have much meaning anymore. One day and night blends in with the next day and night. Every day feels like Sunday. I feel like I should have somewhere to go, but then I remember that I don't. What's nice is that I can start on projects around the house without having to worry about a time constraint. Long projects are easier to start because I no longer have to worry about getting it done or putting it away by the end of the day or whenever. There are things that I have been meaning to get done around the house for a long time, and now I know I will have plenty of time to get all of it done before Maya arrives. Just knowing I will be "caught up" lets me breathe a huge sigh of relief. Now when she gets here, I will be able to concentrate on her and the moments with our new family. I won't be distracted by the things I need to get done. They will no longer exist! Yah!

This nasty weather couldn't have come at a better time. The news is now reporting it as the "Blizzard of 2007". I stayed in all day today, and it looks like I will be in all day tomorrow. It's been snowing and blowing like crazy for 2 days! We have about 10 inches of snow in our area. Our poor beagle, Ruby, just dreads having to go outside. I can get her to the door, but as soon as she sees the snow piled up about chest-deep on her little body, she looks at me as if to say, "Are you crazy? I'm not going out there!". It took some coaxing, but I was able to get her a couple of times. Poor thing just shivers like crazy when she comes back inside. If I knew she would wear a coat, I'd buy her one! That would be so cute! However cute I think it would be, I'm pretty sure both Ruby and Will would die of embarrassment! Hopefully for Ruby's sake, the weather warms up, and the snow melts sometime soon. We only started having cold, wet weather a few weeks ago, and already we're ready to trade it in for warm, sunny days! Come on, spring!!

Recent Events in Review

It has been brought to my attention that not everyone who is reading this knows our recent history. So, to get everyone up to speed, I will give a brief recap. Trust me, I could go on and on, but I'll keep it short for those of you who do know what is going on. On September 21st, we found out that we are expecting our first baby! We are very excited, as it took very little time to get pregnant again (following a devastating miscarriage 11 weeks into our first pregnancy last summer). Just one week later, we took a trip to Tennessee. The week after we returned, we had our first doctor's appointment and an ultrasound to make sure we could see a little heartbeat. Our doctor knew that it would give us a little peace of mind to know that things were looking good early on. Right away, everything looked good, and we were pleased, thought we knew we were not out of the woods just yet. One month later, we had our second doctor's appointment. We were 11 weeks along, and we heard the baby's heartbeat in the office! It was fantastic! Our doctor ordered another ultrasound on that day, to give us full peace of mind. The ultrasound was wilder than I could have ever imagined. The baby was bouncing all over the place! We were very surprised to see so much activity so early on. We were so happy to see the baby looking so healthy! It was at the following visit at 15 weeks that my doctor put me on working restrictions. He did not want me to lift more than 20 pounds. In the PACU, I have to be able to lift 60 pounds, and my manager was not willing to accomodate the restrictions. (Now would be a good time to read my last post, and hopefully that will help everyone understand a little better!)

Currently, I am in my 23rd week of pregnancy, and everything is going very well! We found out that we are expecting a little girl at the 20 week ultrasound! That same week, we took a trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico. It was a wonderful "babymoon"! We stayed in the same resort that we honeymooned at three and a half years ago (El Dorado Royale). It was a very relaxing get-away (more about that another day). Shortly after returning, we finally decided on a middle name. We had been refering to her by her first name basically since we found out we are having a girl. After we chose a middle name, we were final able to reveal it to everyone. Her name is Maya Reese Deaton. She is still very active, and I feel her moving all times of the day. I first started to feel her move at 17 weeks. Will has been able to feel her move for a week now. It's my absolute favorite thing about being pregnant! I'm going to miss that feeling after she is born! We are starting to prepare the nursery for her arrival. We have the furniture ordered, and we just finished painting her room. It's all coming together. Though terrifying at first, this has been a wonderful journey, and it just keeps getting better every day. Each day brings us a little closer to meeting our beautiful baby girl, and her arrival will complete our family (for now).